I think that we often see the things that catch our senses.  Things we see, touch, feel, smell, etc…  This perception paints the way we see the world.  But as I’m finding out, it is the things that we sometimes fill in the layers in between that have the greatest effect on us.  Often, it is not what people tell us but rather what they keep to themselves that allow us to discover their true meaning and intent.  It is not what happens in a relationship, but the growth or change we experience as a result before embarking on a new relationship.  It’s not the friends we have in the times of plenty, but the friends we have when we have a time of need.  When we lack the distractions of the world, such as the sounds, music, job, duties, accomplishments, relationships; it is then that we can concentrate on the inner us and get a true sense of who we are.  It is not the cake, but the layers in between that give it the flavor and texture.  It is that texture of life that we gather when we’re not distracted by what we call “life” itself.